Through A Glass, Darkly
by Jonathan J Strange
Summary: Stardate 54972.8. The crew of the intrepid USS Voyager, NCC 74656 are crossing Borg space on their way home but they are about to cross a line they never knew existed.
1. Up Inside The Cyclone

**Disclaimer:**

**Copyright ownership- **

**1 - **Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager, all related characters and terms are the property of Paramount Pictures and the estate of Gene Roddenberry.

**3** - Any lyrics appearing will be credited to the appropriate artist.

**2 - **Any and all characters or races created by myself belong solely to me and are not to be reproduced without my prior consent.

**Warnings: **Some violence in later chapters.

**Continuity Information:**

Chronologically this story would take place just prior to End Game and continuing the story.

'Stardates' – there is no cannon explanation as to the workings of a stardate so I have created my own explanation.

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**Through A Glass, Darkly**

**Prologue:**

The immense shadow cast across the moon appeared as a squid, it's tentacles reaching across the plains, writhing toward the centre of the system. An immense black pulsing mass gliding through space like death flowing toward his victim.

Zak sat beneath the broad leaves of the silver palm tree. The apple grass soft against the back of his legs and the cool sea breeze wafting against his skin as he watched the blue clouds drift skip across the emerald green sea. A black spot against the sun was alike a grain of dirt on a polished surface but it grew.

The darkness was coming closer, the tentacles reaching out toward him. He sat there as it came closer, the darkness growing, covering the golden ball of warm light. The blue clouds had all but vanished from the shimmering sky when the screams started.

Zak had no where to go, no home to run to and no wife to hold him when darkness covered the sun, plunging the world into an abstract night of shimmering green shadows and howls of terror.

Raising his head his face was bathed in the iridescent green glow emanating from the tentacles of the darkness. What was to become of him? Were the stories true? Zak sat, the apple grass was growing cold, he wondered if it was as soft in Gela'siek. Would his life weigh heavy against his heart and so pull him up into Seka'siek or would he be allowed to pass over the ridge.

The green light covered the planet as the pulsing tentacles encompassed the globe. The static snapped and crackled as the atmosphere shifted and sparked against the dark tentacles. Mist seeping through the atmosphere swirled and snaked in the air. The millions on the planet below were running, scattering like ants before a falling tree.

The pulsing tentacles now encompassed the globe. Small gaps between them allowed a view onto the surface as millions ran, scattering like sand in a storm. The green pulsing raised to a constant glow and then the planet killer fired.

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**Chapter 1: Up Inside The Cyclone**

The bridge was quite, random beeps from the panels notifying anyone listening that the scanners were still sweeping the area ahead and round the ship as it travelled on it's way home, data was being shunted from one terminal to another through countless junctions, unheard by all who were on duty. The dim lights gave the mood of early morning, in space time means nothing. But time can drag in space, as it did for Lieutenant Tom Paris.

Sitting at the conn, watching the computer automate the flight wasn't the most thrilling way to spend the night shift but Tom knew better than to disengage the computer subroutine and take the helm. His light blue eyes glanced over the read outs, inertial dampeners were varying from point fiver zero and point four seven. Guidance sensors were off by point zero three but correcting.

As Paris read over the readings for the trinary system they were passing his thoughts drifted to his dear wife and their unborn daughter, it wouldn't be long before he held her in his arms.

The turbo lift door slid open and Ensign Kim walked onto the bridge and stepped behind operations. Entering his access code the terminal displayed the hourly reports from ships department heads.

"How's B'Elanna?" Harry was checking through the reports and only when he had finished going through the Engineering report he realised Paris had not answered him. "Hey Tom." Paris still seemed fixed on a conn readout. "Tom! What are you looking at?" Kim moved round from his station and passed down the few steps to the lower bridge. Walking past science Kim hopped up onto the front platform.

Placing his hand on Paris' shoulder. "Tom, what are you looking at?"

Paris jolted as he looked round at Kim, the shock on his face to see someone standing behind him brought a smile to Kims. "What are you looking at?"

"Oh, nothing." Paris looked back to the helm readout. Something had caught his eye, a displacement in the warp field. "There's a graviton flux two light years off our port."

The operations and tactical stations both begin to sound, a low warning bleed and on both, sections of the back panels were flashing orange. Kim walked round to his station as Ensign Ayala stepped out of the turbo lift and passed behind the tactical station.

Kim knew that the graviton flux was the reason both operations and tactical had started sounding. His heart was beating fast as he accessed the port sensor array. The blue glow coming from the LCARS display flickered in his brown eyes. The anomaly was registering a eight point five and the drag on the warp drive was showing a twenty percent increase on hull stress.

"The graviton flux is causing a wave displacement."

"The displacement is causing a distortion on the port nacelle." Paris was reading through the helm diagnostics. It was as if the flux was acting like a magnet on the warp field.

Suddenly the ship jerked, the warp core power output jumped forty-seven percent.

"We're being pulled toward the centre of the graviton flux. Attempting to redirect power to the shield grid." Alaya was franticly redirecting power from non essential systems but he already knew it was not going to be enough. The dark hair on the back of his neck stood up, his heart was pounding. Even in the blackest days of the Maquis he had never felt so scared, he knew there was something very wrong but he couldn't work out what it was.

"We're being pulled toward the flux, warp field failing!" Paris was trying to re-engaged the warp drive but the field collapse had caused a feedback surge through the plasma buffers. Glancing at the helm readout the distance to the graviton flux was shirking fast, in a few minuets the Voyager would come in contact with the outer skin of the anomaly. Paris could still not re-engage the warp field, he had no alternative. "Red alert"

The bridge lights lowered, bars of red flashed all round the room. The inertial dampeners were failing and Alaya could find no way to bolster the shields, they were now down to ten percent and would soon collapse. Kim was still checking the readouts from the port sensor array but the readings made no sense, he reinitialised the sensor grid and had just started a new sweep from all the primary and secondary sensors when the turbo lift doors slid open.

Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay marched onto the bridge.

"Report!" Was Janeways one word order as she moved down the three steps to the command platform. Her soft blond hair hanging to her shoulders framed a worried but strong face.

"Warp field's collapsed, impulse engines are off-line."

"We're being pulled towards a graviton flux captain." Kim was still scanning the sensor readout as it listed up. "The flux is giving off positively charged gravitons and Verterons. It's pulling us toward it."

"Shields?" Chakotay turned round to face tactical as Commander Tuvoc stepped from the turbo lift and relived Alaya.

After cross checking the shield grid Tuvok gave his answer. "Shield collapse in ten seconds. Gird wide failure. Aft emitters are burnt out and dorsal emitters have locked."

"Five seconds to graviton flux!" Paris had tried everything, the warp field had failed, the impulse engines were off-line and now all he could think about was how much he wanted to be with B'Elanna right now. He would never get to touch her face again or run his hand along her ridged forehead, which she hated him doing, but the saddest cut of all was he would never get to hold his baby girl.

Captain Janeway sat down and braced herself against the chair. "Brace for impact."

"Shield grid failing." He would never see Vulcan again.

"Impact in three seconds!" His parents would never know what happened to him.

"Warp core output at two hundred and ten percent." He had been running for so long but to end up on the far side of the galaxy, the wonders he had seen, the spirits had been with him. "Two hundred and twenty percent."

The ship tipped and plunged into the graviton flux, the hull shimmered as it entered the eye of the vortex.

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Inertial dampeners came back on-line. The bridge was still pulsing red as Alaya picked himself up off the floor and Paris sat up from his position, spread Eagle over conn. Tuvok had already started accessing systems and re-routing power in an attempted to raise the shields.

"Damage report Mr Kim?" Janeway had managed to stay in her seat, more than could be said for Chakotay who was standing up and dusting himself down.

"Minor hull damage to decks three through six, reports are coming in, twenty six crew injured, all minor captain. Power systems still operational and only minor damage in engineering." He was amazed, it had felt like they were all going to die. "Long range sensors are off-line but short range are still working."

"Where are we?" Chakotay was standing in the middle of the bridge. His heavy frame overpowering in the pulsing red lights. "Cancel red alert." He was glad to have survived. Then a thought flashed through his mind, was Seven ok? He didn't have to wait long to find out.

"Seven of nine to the bridge." Her voice still filled with authority even over the communications channel.

"Go ahead." Janeway was surveying the damage round her. Minor relay bursts and some loss of power to the odd panel, but her ship had faired well, thankfully. Flicking her hair back she glanced at commander Chakotay, she could clearly see how relived he was to hear Seven's voice, mind you, so was she.

"Captain, I require you in matrix's."

After four years Seven still had not grasped the finalities behind protocol on how to address a senior officer, but that not important now. "Seven, what happened?"

"I am unsure captain. We appear only to have moved five hundred meters."

"What do you mean, we appear to have only moved?" Janeway got enough cryptic answers from Tuvok she didn't want them off Seven as well, especially now. She wondered what was wrong with a straight answer? Her train of thought was cut off when Paris sounded the alarm.

"Captain, subspace anomaly forming. Fifty thousand meters off our bow."

"On screen."

The screen flicked to life, space. Black endless space surrounded them and then, in the centre of the screen a glowing blue point appeared. The point spread like a star, four arms lengthening out. The top and bottom arms stretching long, pulling the point into a strand of hazy blue light and then the side arms, pulling the strand out, widening it. The soft blue fissure in space hovered before them, twenty times the hight of the ship and four times the width, for a few seconds, flecks of white light like twisted shining silver flicked out of the aperture to fade in the darkness. Then it came out, appearing from the hazy blue in a streak of light to come to a dead stop a mere ten meters from the entrance. A long curved object reaching up to flatten off at the top. As wide as the anomaly and as high, no markings and no windows, it slowly moved toward the Voyager.

Janeway had not moved, Chakotay seemed fixed to the floor and Paris sat with awe at the object now approaching them.

"Shields?" Janeway knew before asking that there was no hope.

"Shields are still off-line captain, the main phaser banks are depleted and the photon torpedo launcher is off-line." Tuvok continued with his usual logical calmness. "Should it have hostile intent we have no way of defending our selves."

They all watched as the long silver object drifted closer to them and finally entered optimal firing range.

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**Author's Notes:**

**I hope you've enjoyed the first chapter, I have re-written parts of this chapter to make it flow better, I hope it is now easier to read please R&R.**


	2. Sometimes They Come Back, Again

**Disclaimer: **Moderately distressing scene later in chapter..

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**Chapter 2: Sometimes They Come Back, Again.**

The bridge was almost silent, no one spoke. Soft breathing and computer monitoring sounds were the only audible noise. The long silver object was still moving closer. Tactical bleeped twice and Tuvok glanced down.

"We are being hailed, Captain. Audio only." It was a ship, or at least some kind of communications relay. He searched his mind for some memory of anything that would fit this object but, even though, his memory was excellent, he could find nothing even remotely resembling what was approaching them now.

Janeway glanced round, was that confusion she could see on Tuvoks face, motioning to him the audio channel was opened. "I am Captain Janeway of the federation..." The automated message cut her off.

"...Alliance ship Victory, you are ordered to heave too and prepare to be boarded!"

Janeway stared at Chakotay, it couldn't have been the universal translator, the voice was too crisp, the accent so strong and refined through years of breeding.

"Captain, our shields are still down." Tuvock was still trying to raise the shields, he could sense the whole ship tremble with anticipation of a boarding party. "A boarding party could just beam on-board and we have no way to stop them." Tapping an icon on his panel. "This is a ship wide security alert, prepare for a boarding party." He wondered if he would ever see his wife again.

"Heave too?" Janeway turned to Chakotay. "Why does he want us to stop our ship along side his?"

"Captain?"

"Commander, if I'm correct, Heave too is a request. I've only ever heard it in class rooms though." She wondered if she was wrong, where were they? Turning to Paris she watched as the massive silver ship came to a stop only meters from their hull. "I don't feel like stopping right now. Tom, back us up."

"Captain!" Alaya had been watching the whole affair from the master situation display. He had been aboard the Voyager for almost seven years now and not once had he ever spoken up, but this time he had to. "Heave too doesn't just mean stop." Janeway had turned to face him, Chakotay's normal composure faltered for a second as he faced Alaya. "It means stand down, cease fire, come alongside..." There was one more, he didn't want to announce this one, he could see her face looking through him, he couldn't hold it back. "Surrender."

The operations panel sounded, Kim was glad to have something to take his mind off the lieutenants last word. Surrender, to who or what? The last time he had seen a ship appear out of empty space it had been Borg. Could this be a new Borg design? "We're being hailed captain."

"On screen." She turned toward the screen as the feed changed from the external security net to a direct link with the object in front of them. She glanced at Chakotay, she instinctively knew that he could feel it, this was going to be different.

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The scorpion fighters launched. The sensor net had picked up its approach when it entered the system. The high command had signalled the Alliance but it would take them seven hours to reach Askaza and It was due to reach the planet in two hours thirty minuets.

Askarans ran for the ports, people were arriving faster than ships could board them. The magenta sky shimmered as night began to fall over the city of Ragas. Thousands of ships ranging from small cargo fighters to two mile long Interstellar launches filled the air, the sound of roaring engines filled the streets as minor family pods shot up from the surface on their way into space, and survival.

Arch-Cannon Dec'larn watched from his office on the top floor of the High Command Tower, small explosions spat debris, burning plasma and scorched bodies across the land as pods crashed into larger ships or fighter routes were cut off by a cargo ship turning out of the civilian lanes and into the military ones. It was a dark day for the Askarans and now, as billions of his people fled their homes and family Dec'larn sat and wondered if his life had been worthwhile. His constant strive for perfection, his meticulous attention to detail, was it all for nothing now it had come.

Over a thousand years ago It had come, it had ravaged the planet and left only a few survivors, the tale was told to the young and old alike, a memory of darker times. Throwing back his glass of fribard, the hot liquid washing round his mouth, he stood up and looked out into the darkening sky.

The first wing of fighters should be reaching their target now, he would receive word in a few minuets as to the success or failure of the mission. He already knew he would receive no word, it was a hopeless cause, the war was already lost before the battle had even begun.

The colony on Pavalas signalled in, it was there, it passing them. At least there would be some of his race to remember the ways of the Askarans. Turning to face the window he watched as another pod smashed into a transport cruiser over the Habalshi bay, the pod had struck the aft engine compartment, the cruiser was already losing altitude. Green flame spewed from the crumbling compartment and then the hull hit the water. The sound of the forward hull cracking almost shattered the plate glass windows surrounding him. The flare of green lit the wall around him as plasma exploded upon impact with the acid water.

How many had died? One thousand, two thousand? Dec'larn could not bring himself to think. The colony was transmitting again, the green indicator flashed as the message was relayed through the communications posts. He knew that it would have passed Pavalas now, the first wing had either started their attack and it wasn't being affected or the first wing had been destroyed. The icon changed to blue to indicate the message had been received in full. Tapping the icon he waited for the sounds of relief and the message of the fighters.

The screams were unbearable, the fear and the panic running rampant was unbelievable. The Minister was shouting over the recording, he was screaming. Dec'larn could hear the pure fear in his vioce.

"It's turned on us, It's turned on us. It's started, it's started, we can't run, we were told it would leave us alone... We were told we would be safe!"

The sound of an energy field blocked out the remainder of the message but he could still hear the screams and in his mind he could see the pulsing green light engulf Secres Station. It had taken Pavalas, it had killed them all. The fighters still had not signalled, he knew why. It was his duty though, he tapped the icon and listened. Silence, the fighters were gone, it was over.

Opening the window he stepped onto his balcony. The world he had once thought so massive and grand now seemed small and insignificant. The remains of the cruiser were still burning in the bay as he stepped onto the railing. The sky was going dark, there hope was gone.

"A captain goes down with his ship." Dec'larn saluted the spire of Capital House as he fell the five hundred stories to the rocks below.

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**Author's Notes:**

**I hope this keeps you guessing as to where this is going, please R&R and I promise all will be revealed.**

**As with chapter one I have seen it necessary to do some minor re-writing, I hop this makes the story easier to read.**


	3. 23

**Disclaimer: **This is not intended to be a 'shipping' story, however there is mention of Chakotay and Seven – this is to conform to the cannon story.

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**Chapter 3: 23.**

Captain Janeway sat on the long couch that ran in front of the window in her ready room, her cup of coffee fresh from the replicator. It had been fifteen minutes since the Victory had hailed, fifteen minutes since she had discovered how bad the position truly was. Shortly the shuttle would be arriving to take a party over to the HMS ship, it seemed like an eternity sat there in her ready room, the great silver mass that stretched above her like the hand of god. She could never have been ready for what had greeted her when that view screen had switched from the exterior view of the ship to what, she could only assume, was Captain Smithe's ready room. The oak panelling that ran in a thin line behind him about a foot thick, the obsidian black panels that ran behind him and curved up to the ceiling and the flags. That was the most disconcerting part of what she saw, two flags with their rods crossed. One, the Union Jack and the other the George cross. He had seemed very surprised to see a ship with humans aboard, and when she had explained she was from America on Earth, he had given her a momentary look of confusion. She wasn't sure why, but it was defiantly a question she was going to raise.

The chime sounded, Seven had arrived. "Enter!"

Seven of Nine walked into the Ready room with an air of authority, but her hesitation to approach, told Janeway the answer wasn't going to be a good one.

"Captain, the shuttle will be docking in eight minuets and I have recalibrated the astrometric sensors three times and I have found nothing to explain where we are." She hesitated, she knew she hadn't found anything but maybe there was nothing to find, but maybe she shouldn't say that part to Janeway.

Looking out of the window at the ship, she knew they were a long way from home. "What happened to the graviton flux?"

"Point three seconds after we entered the singularity it closed. There are no readings in this sector." Seven couldn't understand it, they had been pulled into the anomaly and had come out alive. "Capitan, I believe we may have passed through it."

Janeway turned to Seven, the comment was sound but it did not explain where they were or where that ship had come from. Captain Smithe hadn't been exactly forth coming with any information, but still, he had no idea about the federation and when she had told him they were on their way to Earth, Smithe looked as if he were going to start laughing.

"There is one other thing Capitan." She waited for the Captain to motion for her to proceed. "We are still in Borg space, but there are no Borg ships within this sector." This alarmed Seven, she felt truly disconnected from the hive.

"I would have thought that would be a good thing, Seven. Our shields are off-line, our weapons are down and our engines are still being repaired. If the Borg were to attack now we'd have no defence." She couldn't understand why Seven was so worried, as far as she could see it was a blessing. They had enough problems with the Victory ordering them to stand down, they didn't need a cube dropping in on the party. "Seven, you've been disconnected from the collective for four years now, I'm surprised you still think about it."

"It is not that Capitan, we are in the middle of Borg space, there is a transwarp hub near our position, I would have believed that it would have been guarded, but I can not find any readings of Borg activity." Janeway didn't understand, how could she. Seven was sure there was something wrong, she knew the hub was close and yet there were no readings of any Borg ships. Chakotay's voice over the comm flickered for a second in her mind, the Borg no longer mattered. For a brief moment, nothing mattered.

"Bridge to the Captain."

"Go ahead."

"Captain, our escort is docking."

She looked at Seven, the brief look of calm fading from her face. "On my way." Motioning to Seven she walked towards the bridge.

Walking onto the bridge Janeway started toward the turbo lift. "Chakotay, Tuvok, Seven you're with me, Tom you have the bridge."

"Aye Capitan." Tom turned back to the conn and continued effecting repairs on the drive systems. The Captain and her team entered the turbo lift.

"Deck ten." The doors closed.

"Who do you think they are?" Kim was still mesmerised by the great shining object that in a way, resembled a long silver sail floating in space. "There's no ships that match that in the computer memory."

Alaya was stood at tactical, processing readings and trying to find a scanning frequency that would penetrate the hull of the Alliance ship. "I don't think our memory has any ships from this universe."

Paris heard it but couldn't believe it, turning so quickly he caught his foot on one of the arches that held the conn. "This universe? What are you talking about Lieutenant?"

Janeway looked round at her companions as the lift changed direction from vertical to horizontal. Tuvok was ever the calm rational mind, she knew he was thinking of the logical answer to what had happened. Chakotay was starring into Seven's eyes, neither of them seeing what was going on around them, only seeing one and other. She could remember being that way herself, once. Looking back it was almost a dream, her and Mark laying on the grass watching the stars drift past. To see two people she cared for growing so close made her feel warm and yet, for an unknown reason she felt envious and a little scared.

"I would suggest we have a security team meet us in shuttle bay one." Tuvok was thinking ahead. He had already rationalised the thought that when this escort team come aboard they could have intentions that Captain Smithe had not intimated.

"I don't think that would be wise commander."

"Why not?" Janeway could understand Tuvok's analysis and agreed but she would hear Chakotay out before making her decision.

"Captain, we have no reason to believe the escort party will be hostile, Captain Smithe assured us it was simply an escort to his ship and in the interest of good relations I don't think it would be wise to have our first meeting with these people an armed one." There was something about Smithe that had told Chakotay he could be trusted, he couldn't put his finger on it but here, in the turbo lift with his heavy hand touching Sevens delicate hands he could see no reason to start a war.

"I agree." She had thought about it and at no time had Smithe even seemed remotely shady. "We will treat this as a first contact situation and follow star fleet rules." Chakotays thick black hair appeared almost alive and his eyes shone, she knew it was Seven. She had watched them in the lift, their yearning to hold one and other so strong it was almost infectious.

"Have a security team standing by Tuvok." She had decided to air on the side of caution. It had been twenty three minutes since they had been informed that they would be escorted over to the Victory, it had seemed like an eternity.

The lift halted and the doors slid open. Stepping out into the corridor Janeway led them into the shuttle bay. The curved shuttle was touching down as they walked into the bay. The sleek metallic object sat there, the hum of the engines powering down filled the bay and the hiss of the hermetically sealed doors seemed to echo round them as the occupants waited to disembark.

The gang way descended and a group of three men, two in their dark green and brown khaki uniforms seeming so out of place on a star ship and the thirds uniform seemed even more out of the ordinary. A smart white tunic with a brown leather boarder that over lapped on the left. His trousers a similar style with the brown leather running down the outer seams amd his white gloves, held closed by two small gold buttons . The emblem that pinned his tunic closed was circular, embossed with a gold woman holding a shield and trident sat on a lion. He walked towards Janeway and her party.

Tuvok moved his hand and grasped his phaser, it seemed logical to him. The two Khakied men mirrored his move. Each holding the butt of their weapons, no one moved. Janeway was worried, she didn't want to look weak but in sighting a fight was not exactly star fleet policy. It was the man in the white uniform, obviously the commander, who made the first move, turning to the men behind him they released their grips and let their hands fall to their sides.

Janeway was thankful, she had shown no weakness and yet had not provoked a fight, she turned to Tuvok and he released his phaser without a word. She wondered what was going to happen now, what was to come.

The command officer stopped a little way from them and when he spoke his thick English accent flowed round them, calm and regal, stern and commanding. "I am Commander Shaun Tanner and you will come with me."

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**Author's Notes:**

**I do hope the little mushy scene did not distract you from the story line (what there is of one at present – I am getting to it – promise)**

**Please R&R.**


	4. Darkness Falls

**Disclaimer: **

**WARNING – This chapter contains descriptions of violence which ARE NOT suitable to those of a nervous disposition. If you dislike or are offended by descriptions of violence and/or torture it is HIGHLY recommended that you DO NOT read this chapter.**

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**Chapter 4: Darkness Falls.**

_Darkness falls all around,_

_Putrid evil rents the air,_

_In the wind a horrid sound,_

_Screams of fear and despair._

_M J Niven._

He moved along the corridor with ease, summoned to the chambers. Why had they summoned Him, after all this time, why? He had been asleep for so many years, so many generations had passed him by and yet He could still feel the cold wind of change against his cloth. The world had turned and turned again, his home was no more than ash. Moving down the corridor He believed his joints should ache and his bones creak after being asleep for so long but how could they ache or creak when there were non. His mortal body was long decayed, those bones which once held him high were now nothing but dust in the darkness of space, a darkness he longed to be a part of once again. The hateful imprisonment had been long, trapped in that stone, buried in the bowls of the Howling Hall, after centuries of watching He had decided to sleep, wait for his time to return and so He had. Trapped in the cold unforgiving stone He had waited and slept, reaching out to the stars and writhing on planets who could not know his hatred, could not feel his presence or even guess as to what was laying dormant on that dark planet no one set foot upon. The dead world that circled a dying sun.

An empire was growing in the wind, a great force was riding the tides of space and power was flowing to them. A race He had never seen before, from beyond his realm they had come. Ships a great at the ones of his people, weapons so skilful they could destroy all that opposed them. These creatures were truly cruel and dead of heart. They had come from the depths of space to rule and concur, they were a power now and they were the race that was feared and loathed, they were the people that were talked about in hush whispers. They were truly a great race, a place in the stars had been made for them, the place his people had made that now lay empty.

He screamed in the night as his race was forgotten, relegated to the pages of books, left on faded paper and in time, now only whispered to children. A warning of the darkness, a bed time tale of fear. His name was used, spoken often as a means for narrow minded parents to illicit correct behaviour from their unruly off spring. His name had become a word, a word that held no more fear than a mouse would hold fear for a snake. His greatness forgotten. A passing fancy of authors who felt they could use his history for their own gains. He would rise now, rise and reclaim all that had been lost to his race, he would see the fear upon his victims faces once more. Taste the pain as he slowly ripped them from reality, taking all that was theirs and casting it to dust before their dying eyes.

Drifting down the long corridor He could still hear the screams. The tears of over a billion women and children, who watched as their husbands, fathers and brothers go to their deaths, still ran through his soul, encasing it in pain and fear, loss and despair. His hand reached from the darkness of space to crush and destroy. All he had been and all he was, encapsulated in a story but that story had been forgotten now, his deeds only a memory of the truly ancient ones. Only his face was remembered, on planets from great rim to the burning eye, a face so loathsome that children screamed at its glance and crippled old fools died at a mere thought of those hollow black eyes suspended in the rags.

The dust of ages did not stir as He passed, the dark dead world outside the windows held no more life than He. Passing the Charnel and the Oubliette, the feel of their flesh beneath his claws as he ripped it from their bones brought memories of better, darker times back to his mind. The screams for mercy as his prisoners watched their bones being riven from their sockets brought a cold felling of pleasure. There was only one he could still taste, the one they had called Messiah. The foolish child who believed he could defeat the darkness. That had been a session He relished, a memory He did not wish to forget. That man who had meant so much to so many, laid out in the Charnel, his clothes ripped from his body. The hopelessness that permeated the room from his followers as he was desecrated before their eyes. The mans reluctance to scream was even more delicious as He slowly pulled the skin from his body. The finally made sweeter, darker as the man tried so hard not to scream as that which made him a man was slowly, meticulously torn from it's place. The hideous feel of relish, still filled his very being, as he recalled the screams from _their_ Messiah when he saw himself torn and disfigured in the large mirror on the ceiling. The cries of the mans band of followers as they met their end in pain and despair. The Messiah's woman had been eviscerated, and left to die on the harsh floor of the Charnel. The Messiah's One, the man who had been by his side from the beginning, his closets ally, friend and more. The One's death had been slow, mathematical and delectable. Watched by billions and He had been praised for his perfectly slow execution. The worlds watched as the One was picked at by He, his flesh taken in strips, his ears removed with deliberate care. That had been a glorious day, the Messiah swept away and with him his woman and his One. No one stood against him now. He ravaged the worlds like a plague.

Would there be another Messiah, would another stand to challenge him? The thought of inflicting pain and sorrow was uplifting. If another did come his death would be as slow and excruciating, this Messiah would fill his hunger, a hunger that had been growing through the sleep. To feel warm flesh beneath his claws once more, the hear the screams as it was riven from the body, how he wished his hearts could beat faster at the thought of the taste of fear as the life drained from the body of another great leader. This Messiah would know how long he had waited for the feel of flesh ripping at his will, how long he had yearned for the taste of fear.

The doors to the chambers stood closed as they had for centuries. The dark metal now coated in ages of dirt and grime. This had once been a place for the highest ones, the war council, they had walked through here so many times, meeting in the chambers to recount their evil glory and sadistic strategy to those who had stayed behind to coldly plant seeds of pain within their neighbours or to dispense with any unneeded prisoners not worth the time of the marshals. The sounds from within were subdued, He knew of no time when the council had spoken in dulled tones. The great doors swung wide, crashing to the stoppers. The hall fell silent as He entered, the high glass ceiling covered in dust and debris. The night sky fighting to shine through the darkness of the room where thousands stood. He moved to the centre of the hall, the eyes of a thousand watching him, silent. In that moment he knew why he had been called, why is sleep of ages had been ended. It had not been the council but something greater, something he was tied to by a greater power. The darkness was absolute, the fear of the old prisoners still clung in the air. It was as he had left it.

They were all stood, waiting on him. The marshals of the great darkness, the solders of the void. His time had come again, the hour was upon him. Taking his time to look around the room at those who had fought beside him, those who had followed him through fire. He could feel the room buzz with anticipation. The intense hatred and loathing swept over him, the worlds that would fall before him once again. This time his race would be remembered forever. His armies would cascade from the void, dive onto planets, unsuspecting and hope filled worlds, and scar them with fear, drench them in blood. He would hear millions scream, feel the tears of billions once again. The blood would flow, the screams fill the air, death would ride with him. His time was now.

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**Author's Notes:**

**I know this chapter may not seem to have any reason but trust me, I am trying to explain a heck of a lot of back story and character motivation without being boring. It will all become clear shortly.**

**Please R&R, I do like to know what you think, no matter what.**


	5. Sliding Doors

**Disclaimer: **Violence in later chapters

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**Chapter 5: Sliding Doors.**

The shuttle was amazingly plain on the outside, the only insignia was of a dark grey woman in a robe sat on a gold lion. In her left hand she held a green leaf and resting in her right was a light grey trident. Leaning against her, was a shield and on it, a representation of the ancient Union Flag of Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Janeway had not seen a craft so small and lavish. She looked round the main cabin, it was separated from the cockpit by a wall, red and white drapes hid the metallic sheen. The door to the cockpit reached from the floor to the fake oak panelled ceiling with it's gold rivets. Soft up-lights flanked the windows and the rich velvet seats were soft and spongy as Chakotay leaned back next to Seven and looked out of the windows as they left the Voyagers shuttle bay.

Seven had been aboard many ships during her time in the Borg but she had never been board a ship like this before. Subdued Lights lined the walkway and added to the soft up-lights to created a calming effect and even gave an air of grandeur to the small cabin. Tuvok glanced round to the rear of the cabin. On the other side of the drop down door he could see a bench, running along the walls and back of the cabin. The two men in Khaki sat on these benches made from wood lattes and silver rivets, above the bench, lining the wall, was a continuous, soft, backrest. To the voyager team the room seemed grand beyond it's stature, maybe a little too grand, as if were more a statement than functional.

The two men in Khaki seemed to not regard Janeway and company as a threat any longer. Commander Tanner had moved into the cockpit almost as soon as they had boarded. It had not taken long before they were dropping away from Voyager, the ship that had been their home for so many years seemed so small out here, so insignificant against the large hulk of the HMS Victory.

Dropping even further down towards the lower shuttle bays the Voyager became just a streak of silver against the blackness of space. The large bay doors slid up and open, they were slowing to come to a stop when Seven saw the shimmer of a permanent shield as they passed through it. Entering the shuttle bay Janeway saw the lines of uniformed crew standing to attention along the back wall. Captain Smithe was in the centre with a young looking man stood beside him, their uniforms were pristine. White with the brown leather trimming, a gold lanyard ran under their right arms and through a fixed Epaulettes on their shoulders and both were wearing white cotton gloves. Glancing down the line of personnel Chakotay realised that the lanyards must represent department, a little like their colours on star fleet uniforms.

Twelve men stood in two lines between the company at the back of the bay and the shuttle, a walkway from the shuttle to the assembled crew, their uniforms different again. Commander Tanner lead Janeway and her team down toward the Captain between the twelve, six-a-side, men in redcoats. Janeway looked round and say they were wearing white trousers with high black boots, white shirts and red coats. The tails of the coat were pinned back with gold buttons, strips of black leather ran up both front lapels, these too had decorative gold buttons. Chakotay looked round at the line of men stood in long white wings and black, tri-cornered, hats and wondered why they sparked his memory.

The guard stood to attention with their, what can only be described as muskets, held vertical a few inches in front of them in smart, white gloved hands as the party passed between them.

Tuvok looked around at this display, he had seen pictures of these uniforms. It had been back on earth , he had been researching the planets history before deciding if he would stay. These looked remarkably like a uniform worn on earth centuries ago.

"Ten-shun!" The call came form a tall broad man stood at the end of the room. The line jolted, each slamming their right foot to the floor and standing straight with their arms by their sides. Commander Tanner moved aside as Janeway and Tuvok stepped from between the last two red coated men.

"Welcome aboard the HMS Victory Capitan." Smithe stood to attention as he addressed Janeway. "This is Commander Wells, my first officer and you have already met Commander Tanner, my chief of security." The solid accent was like syrup. His thick frame was imposing.

"This is my first officer, Commander Chakotay, Commander Tuvok, my head of security and this Seven of Nine." Stepping aside Chakotay and Tuvok stood to attention, Seven simply stood.

Glancing down the room Janeway couldn't help but feel that this was all pomp and circumstance, a grand gesture for their benefit. There must be over a thousand crewmen standing before her in the shuttle bay, if they could spare this many crewmen you were obviously meant to realise that there compliment must be vast. The man stood before her ran a ship of over a thousand, she suddenly felt very small, a tiny speck sand on a beach. She was sure that the problems she had with one hundred and fifty strong crew, would be like primary school puzzles to what Captain Smithe must face with his crew.

"Commander?" Smithe turned to Tanner. "Dismiss the men and call the galley, have them serve us in my office." Turing to Wells Smithe looked ominous, from the ease at which his face changed it was obvious it was a look he was used to giving. "Commander, you are with me." He then turned to Janeway, his eyes drifting to Tuvok and his expression changing to a less stern pose. "If you please?" Leading the way Smithe walked them out of the shuttle bay and over to a pair of doors, what the party from the Voyager believed to lead to a turbo lift. The doors slid open silently and they followed Captain Smithe and Commander Wells inside. The voice of Commander Tanner could be heard billowing from the shuttle bay.

"Right you scurvy lot of jib hangers, get to your posts. This is a diplomatic mission so anyone caught slaking will be flogged on the decks at sunset. Dismissed!"

The doors slid closed, a small panel on the back wall lit up in range of blues and golds. The floor was not like any turbo lift they had been in, azure blue with, what resembled, thin sliver ribbons criss crossing beneath their feet. The walls around them were flat, smooth silver panels and the ceiling mirrored the floor.

"Captains office."

The floor began to glow, the ceiling shimmered, just before they found themselves in an identical room Seven was aware of the feeling of disembodiment. She knew then that they had moved, to where exactly, she was unsure and she did not think bringing it the attention of her Captain would produce anything more that extra questions. Glancing round it seemed that no one else had felt the momentary displacement.

The doors slid opened onto a large room, cedar panels flanked the walls with a strip of black panel running around the middle, four inches thick. The chandelier hanging from the centre of the room cast shards of coloured light around the room. The plush carpet that ran from the full floor was decorated with small silver motifs of an ancient tall ship.

Commander Wells stepped over to the table in the centre of the room and took a seat next to one of the heads as Seven inspected the room. Looking down at the Voyager she realised how small her world had become. It hung there like a dot in space. Turning back to the room she caught sight of an active pad on the seat next to the window. She knew that reading it would constituent a violation of the rights for privacy she should offer to these strangers but her ability to read had been increased by the Borg and so, as she cast her eyes over the pad, the words burned themselves to her memory. A rhyme, a few lines from an old rhyme that did not seem to make sense when read alone.

_'When the chains of darkness shatter,_

_the light fades to naught._

_The screams of hundreds echo round,_

_the hallowed empty halls.'_

Turning quickly from the pad Seven looked round for Chakotay and found him stood in the centre of the room, he seemed dazzled, the picture on the wall had caught his attention and, it seemed, did not want to let it go.

Chakotay looked round the room in awe. He had never seen slender on a star ship. The large picture on the back wall caught his eye. A representation of an ancient earth, tall, ship, it's sails billowed and gun ports open.

"The 1778 Victory." Smithe had walked over to Chakotay, seeing him eye the picture of the flag ship Victory. "She was a First-rate ship of the line, 100 guns. Sailed to fame during the battle of Trafalgar when it lead the fleet. Twenty one tall ships, four frigates and three ships out to sea." Smithes voice was pride full and tinged with regret, as if he wished he had been there. "A glorious battle" Turning back to the others in the room he motioned for them to sit down.

The table was oblong, one large slab of marble held up by six ornate steel legs, it's top was polished and black. Eight high backed chairs sat round the table, each with white covers crossed from top to bottom with a single red stripe and from side to side with another red stripe. They sat down, Seven and Chakotay on one side with Tuvok on the other next to the head. Janeway sat next to him at the head. Opposite her Smithe sat who had seated himself next to Wells.

"Captain.." Janeway wanted to be first, she had so many questions that needed answering, she didn't want to miss her opportunity. "Thank you for such an honourable welcome. I would like to ask..." To her annoyance Smithe cut her off, she wasn't accustomed to being stopped mid sentence, not in person anyway.

"All in good time Captain, I am sure we both have questions for the other." Smithe felt his eyes drift over to the strange man with the pointed ears, he hadn't said anything since arriving aboard and he was certainly an oddity. Raising his head a little to sound clear. "Captain Smithe to Commander Tanner."

There was a short pause and then Tanners voice rang out loud and clear. "Captain?"

"Can you join us please join us."

"Aye Captain." The channel went dead.

Wells was looking at Seven, he was sure he had seen implants like the one above her eye before but he simply couldn't place it, he opened his mouth to ask her where she had acquired it when the doors slid open and Commander Tanner walked in. Saluting the Capitan Shaun moved round the table and sat next to Wells.

"Well Captain, manors dictate I allow you the first question." Smithe sat back in his chair.

"Thank you Captain, I would like to ask firstly, are you human?" She couldn't believe she had asked that, he looked human but she had no idea how a ship this size could have been built, it wasn't of star fleet design so if he was human where did he come from?

"Yes, Captain, I am human as is most of my crew." He had a question for her but he could see the look on her face, she wouldn't be able to answer his should he not allow her to ask her next. She was a mystery, her tiny ship was like nothing that have ever been made in the imperial fleet yards. "You have another question?"

"I am sorry, but where do you come from? I mean, we're in the delta quadrant, Star Fleet have no colonies here." She knew she shouldn't have mentioned Star Fleet, but it was too late now.

"I was born on London, it is fifteen light years from our current position." Turning to look at Tuvok. "I will ask you what this Star Fleet is later but for now..." Pointing a long finger toward Tuvok. "I would like to know what _he _is?"

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**Author's Notes:**

**Ok, not exactly the most thrilling of chapters but it kind of ran away with me and before I knew it, it was over. **

**And before I get any questions about how could a human not know of a Vulcan, that will be explained.**

**Well, R&R please, i do like to know what you think.**


	6. Over The Rainbow

**Disclaimer: **Violence in later chapters

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**Chapter 6: Over The Rainbow.**

_Somewhere, over the rainbow,_

_Where blue birds fly,_

_If blue birds fly there,_

_Why, oh, why,_

_Can't I?_

_Judy Garland – Wizard of Oz_

Captain Janeway was astonished, she couldn't believe what she had just heard. Commander Tuvok described as a _'what'. _ How could a human captain in space not know of the Vulcans? She sat, mouth wanting to drop open with the shock but her years of training had taught her to hold it in place. Vulcan was the closest system to earth, how could a space fairing human race not have met them? "He's a Vulcan." She waited for the look of understanding to cross Smithe's face, but it didn't come. "The Vulcan system is the closest inhabited system to Earth, 40 Eridani, you must have come across it?"

"40 Eridani?" Smithe knew of that system, it seemed that the astrometric sensors had been correct, but how to tell her. "Captain, I feel you may have me at a disadvantage, you see, I have never been to 40 Eridani, nor have I ever been anywhere near Earth. I was born on London and have never been to Sector 001." Janeway did not seem surprised at this but there was more she should know, but when should he tell her. Glancing at Wells and Tanner, Smithe made the decision. Standing up Smithe addressed Janeway. "Captain Janeway, if you would ask your crew to stand down we will escort you to London."

She didn't know what to do. Ask her crew to _stand down_? What was he going to do, place them under arrest? What had they done? Janeway couldn't shift the feeling that there was something Smithe wasn't telling her. Obviously it was the main question in her head.. What the hell was going on? "Captain, we'll return to our ship and follow you."

"Captain." Wells had turned to address Janeway. For the first time she saw how stern he looked "From our scans you do not have a hyper-space drive so you would not be able follow us into the passageway."

"Hyper-space?" Seven of Nine turned to Commander Wells. "The Borg have heard of hyper-space. We..." Correcting herself quickly. "They had been looking for a way to enter hyper-space for many years but had never discovered how." she remembered the experiments, modulating the shields while in transwarp, they had lost a hundred sphere's and 1100000 drones had been lost. Turning to Janeway Seven realised how this could very quickly become a stand off between the two captains. "Captain, I do not believe that the Voyager would survive passing through hyper-space, I suggest we follow them at warp."

Janeway agreed, she saw no reason to stand her crew down or allow herself to become reliant on these humans. She had come this far alone, she did not need someone taking her ship from her now.

"Captain Janeway, we do not have warp engines." Smithe looked at her, he did not want her to think he was. In anyway, inferior. "Warp technology was outlawed on earth over three hundred years ago after a careful study on it's effects on space." She was obviously not going to had over control of her ship, he wouldn't. "Janeway, we will link to your ship and it will move through the passageway with us. You may stay aboard the Victory or go back to the Voyager, that is your choice. I must ask you to have your decision by the hour. Now, would you like to tour round my ship?" He tried to make it sound like she had a bigger decision than she really did. He could not allow her to go flying around his universe, there was no knowing what damage she could do.

"Chakotay, return to the ship. I'll be along shortly." Turning to Smithe, he mind already made up. "Captain, tank you for your hospitality." She knew she could not just leave and head home from here, she would need help, but she did not want to give up command of Voyager. "When we have arrived at London, I assume you will release my ship to me?"

" I think you have misunderstood me, Captain. I will not be taking command of your ship, simply towing it through hyper-space." Smithe looked the crew from the Voyager up and down. The young blond in the tight suite was looking round as if she were analysing the room. The Commander with the tattoo seemed more intent on the blond then what his captain was saying, Smithe could see the attraction. The smooth supple body was held tight in the all-in-one, her pert breasts pressing against the material was a welcome sight to the captains eyes.

"Captain." Tuvok had been watching the exchange, he had sought out the most logical course of action and he was sure that following the Victory through the hyper-space passageway seemed the most logical. If, for no other reason, only to reach a habited system that could help them repair the ship's systems.

"Commander, I am well aware of what you are going to say." Turning to Smithe, her eyes glancing round at Chakotay. "If you would allow me to return to my ship I will signal you when we are ready to leave?" She expected him to object, he had a look of force in his eyes.

"If you will hail me when you are prepared to leave I will instruct you as to final procedures." Smithe was not sure what her next move was going to be. When she returned to her ship would she attempt to leave the system believing, as she did, that he had no way to follow her at warp? "Captain, I know that you have never seen an Alliance vassal before but can I assure you, this is a heavy cruiser and so is more than a match for your weaponry." Seeing the look on Janeways face, Smithe realised that his statement had come out not exactly as he meant it. "This is the second largest ship in the area so I would ask you not try anything foolish." He was making it worse but nothing he could say would stop what he was saying sounding like a threat.

Chakotay walked toward the transport room they had arrived in, glancing at Seven he watched as she stepped towards Captain Janeway. The doors slid open, the blue floor was dim and a blast of warm air hit him. Tuvok had followed him and seemed puzzled at the warm air, normally ships were temperature controlled.

Suddenly a the lights dimmed and they were bathed in red. The room became dark and ominous as the red lamps pulsed in the walls. "Stanley to the Captain!"

Janeway's badge bleeped. "Voyager to the captain!" It was Tom Paris, his voice was steady but urgent. Janeway tapped her communicator.

"Receiving, go ahead." What was going on? Looking round she could see the urgent looks on Chakotay and Seven's faces.

"Captain." It was Stanely over the internal communications channel. "A ship has just dropped out of hyper-space. It's the Briori."

"Shields up! Bring main guns on-line." Smithe glanced at Wells who met his eye and then left quickly through a door behind the Captain. "These creatures will never learn. Tanner, see our guests to the shuttle bay." Smithe looked worried as he turned to Captain Janeway. "I am sorry to cut your tour short but we have a situation. Please advise your ship to raise it's shields and come alongside, quickly."

"Captain!" Janeway knew of the Briori, they were the aliens that had visited the earth hundreds of times during the 20th century. She always wondered what had happened to them. "We can transport back, there is no need to take us to the shuttle bay." Tapping her communicator once. " Ensign Kim, four to transport, direct to the bridge."

Commander Tanner stepped forward. "You can't transport from here."

"Captain. There's a shield around the Victory, our sensors still can't get any readings, the transporters can't get a lock-on, Captain." He was worried, his captain and commanding officers were trapped on an alien ship and they were about to go into battle.

"Captain, this will be over in seconds, we'll get you back to your ship momentarily." Smithe had not moved, he seemed not to be worried about what was happening outside the ship.

"Captain!" Seven had moved over to the large window that flanked one side of the room. Janeway, followed by Chakotay and Tuvok, walked over to stand beside Seven. Seven had never seen a ship like the one that now hung in front of them. It's circular body was white, curved like a dome on top. Four curved legs hung from the underside. Janeway was inclined to describe them looking like the pylons from deep space nine. A hazy green aura seemed to hang round the Briroi ship. They watched as a phaser blast fired from the Voyager, now along side them, as was totally absorbed by the shields of the great white ship.

"Our weapons appear to have no effect, Captain." Tuvok looked on as The Briori ship started to turn in space.

The lights flickered, the ship seemed to go silent, everyone holding there breath as the hum grew. Coming from every wall, every floor the sound of static building was disconcerting to the team from the Voyager. Then it happened, it a bright flash of blue light two streams of plasma were fired from the array at the centre of the ship. The streams hit the Brirori ship dead on. The white circular ship shattered. Sparks and fire flew into space as the air from inside was consumed. Shards of hull drifted in every direction

Janeway was sure, if she looked hard enough, she could see the grey thin bodies of the occupants drifting out there in the vacuum of space. She had never seen a weapon like that before. The only thing that came close belonged to the Borg, but, the idea of an earth ship having such powerful weapons only re-enforced her hypothosis. Turning to Seven, the look of, almost, surprise on her face was a surprise to Janeway.

"Captain, I did not know Human ships had such weaponry." Looking at Janeway for some sort of answer, she had never seen a battle dealt with so swiftly, it was perfection in war.

"They don't." She was sure now, it was just how to tell her crew.

"Captain?"

"Seven," Janeway turned to Seven who was stood looking at her, waiting for an answer that she could assimilate and understand. "I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

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**Author's Notes:**

**Thank you for reading this chapter. R&R please, even if you just say 'was good', 'was ok', 'liked it', I like to know what you think as it is the only way I can advance. Thank you.**

**A special thanks to Orbthesela for her idea for the last line. **


	7. Dark Waters

**Disclaimer:**Violence in later chapters

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**Chapter 7: Dark Waters.  
**

Travelling through the hyper-space tunnel was very calming, the light blues and silvers were swirling round the ship as it was pulled behind the Victory. Captain Janeway had left Captain Smithe as soon as the Briori were gone, she had said little on their ride back and only issued the order for all hands to stand down and explained that the Victory was going to hold them in a tractor beam from here. With that, she had left the bridge and gone down to her quarters, they seemed small and minimalist compared to Smithe's office. Dropping down the sofa that ran along the window she looked out of the window and wondered what kind of a universe they had slid into, no warp drive and, from what she was reading of the information sent to her by the Victory, no contact with any aliens she even knew. Then she came across the file 'BORG'. There was bound to be something worth reading in here. Tapping on the pad she steared in dismay as she read the few lines.

'An advanced race of bio-technical origin.

Approach with caution!

Use deteriorating nano probes.

Once the Borg vessel is disabled – LEAVE!'

Placing the pad on the small table Janeway stood up and turned toward the window. The swirling walls of the corridor were passing at a great speed, she wondered when they would come out into normal space. She remembered the civilisation she had left on the Briori home world, would this world be anything similar? Another outpost of humanity, but this one was partly by choice, they had space travel, they had a way to get home. The vortex dropped away and she looked out into space, the stars seemed to glimmer in the darkness, countless stars being circled by nameless worlds. What would she find out there, was there anything here she would recognise?

"Bridge to the Captain." Chakotays voice called over the communications channel.

She could remember the first time she had met the man she now put so much trust in, it had meant to be a simple tracking mission that had turned into the longest journey home since the voyager probe, she smiled at the irony and tapped her badge.

"Go ahead commander."

"The Victory is signalling, we are about to enter the Gaia system." His voice reeked of excitement, it had been so long since they had found humans, so long since they could rest on a planet where they would not feel like outcasts. "We have been given the co-ordinates for the London docking platform and asked to approach at one half impulse."

"Make it so." She wondered how much she could trust Smithe or anyone here. "Are we permitted to send parties down to the surface?"

"Yes, Captain, we have been given permission for all the crew to leave if they wish, as long as we register our whereabouts with the governors mansion."

"Governors mansion, commander?" She had not heard of governors for a long time. Was this planet still run by such an archaic regal system?

"Yes, Captain." It was obvious form his tone that Chakotay was finding this as confusing as she was. "We have been told that when we dock we will be logged and then given a list of places on London that we are permitted to visit and stay at."

"So, we won't be wandering around where we want." This seemed a little over kill, her crew was mainly human, what trouble did Captain Smithe think they were going to cause? "Commander, draw up a list of crew for shore leave, make sure the personnel who have no been able to leave the ship very often are at the top." Her crew could finally have shore leave, they deserved it after all these years.

"Aye captain, Chakotay out." The communications channel went dead.

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After docking with the platform, Janeway and Tuvok met with the Marshal of the platform, he had never seen a ship like the Voyager before and seemed a little over exited by the prospect of having it docked at his platform.

"I can't believe that this was built by humans, it is of such an unusual design. May I take a look around?" The little man in the black uniform buzzed round Janeway, his attention passing between Tuvok and the ship docked on pontoon six. He was obviously deciding which was more amazing, a brand new ship or a man with pointed ears. The ship won.

"I think we could arrange a tour Mr..." Janeway had been trying to follow this little man with her eyes as he paced back and forth from the large window that surrounded his office.

"Oh, Marshal... Marshal..." His continues pacing was starting to irritate Janeway. She knew better tan to say anthing.

"Mr Marshal, I will communicate with..."

"Oh, no, Oh, no. Not Mr Marshal..." he was almost spinning like a top as he tried to look at both the Voyager and Janeway. "I am a Marshall, Marshall Blackburn.. Marshall of the yards... That is certainly an oddity... I am Marshall Blackburn of the fleet yards of London... Such a pretty ship, so sleek."

"Marshall Blackburn, may we continue to the planet?"

"Oh, yeas, yes of course."

Janeway turned to leave the office by the floor lift.

"Captain." The Marshall turned to face her. "You are not permitted weapons on the surface, you will be required to leave them aboard your ship or in our storage lock ups."

He looked at Janeway and Tuvok waiting for some kind of response. She wasn't sure how to respond, she was agreeing to allowing her people to go down to a planet they had never been on before, unarmed. This was maybe a step too far. As if reading her mind Tuvok addressed her.

"Captain." Marshall Blackburn seemed ever more in wonder at the fact this pointed eared alien spoke English. "I do believe we must obey their laws and customers. There should be no need for weapons on the surface." Turning to the Marshall. "I assume there are no weapons permitted on the planets surface?"

The Marshall had to compose himself, the tall pointed eared alien man had addressed him. "No one but the police are permitted to carry weapons on the planets surface, and even they only carry pistols."

PISTOLS? She wondered for a moment if he she had heard him correctly, the police carried pistols here? She couldn't believe that such and advanced civilisation still used such ancient weapons. "You police still carry fire arms?"

"Of course captain, don't you?" He glanced at their phasers, holstered by their sides.

"These." Janeway produced her phaser and held it toward the Marshall. "These aren't fire arms they are projected energy weapons. They can be set to stun and not kill."

"Weapons that can kill? You carry these around with you?" The idea seemed ludicrous to him. "My dear Captain, I do not know how they do things where you are from but here _only_ the military are permitted to carry deadly weapons." He was eyeing the phaser with an obvious air or concern, she could see him backing away toward his desk.

Quickly return the phaser to it's holster Janeway attempted to reassure him. "We have the set to stun most of the time, it is only when we are faced with a kill or be killed situation that they may be set to a higher level." This hadn't seemed to have the desired effect, she hoped a changed of subject would get his mind of the weapons they carried. "You said your police carried pistols, I thought they were deadly weapons?"

"Deadly weapons!" His eyes darted from her face to the phaser at her side. "Non military pistols only have one setting Captain; stun." He was still glancing between her and her phaser.

She was surprised, they had evolved so far that they no longer carried around deadly weapons, that said a lot about the civilisation. If the no longer needed the threat of death to maintain law and order. The idea of wandering around the planet seemed more acceptable to her now. If no one carried weapons then the idea of leaving theirs behind no longer held a threat. She would allow her people to visit the planet for twenty four hours at a time in teams of five. She wondered if the Doctor would like to take a trip to the planet?

"Captain, you are permitted to go anywhere in the green areas." Tapping an icon on his table a holographic representation of the planets surface flicked to life in mid air above the table. Laid out flat, Janeway would see the planets mountains and oceans. The surface was dotted with coloured shapes. Green, Blue and Red. "I would suggest you start in the capital, Williams Port, you will find some of the nicest tea shops on the planet there."

"I'm a coffee drinker personally." She was glancing over the mountain rangers that were inside a green area, Chakotay would probably want to spend a night under the stars, could Seven manage without her alcove for a night?

"There is a splendid little coffee emporium on Dukes street, The Thesela Place. They'll do it any way you want it, all blends genetically engineered to taste like home."

Janeway made mental note of the address and after saying her thanks she lead Tuvok from the office.

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Smithe had been sat in is office since they had returned to London. The arrival of the Voyager had caused him to divert his plans. He would need to re-organise the delivery and make correct preparations. He had gotten away with it so far, the governor had accepted his version of events. His ship had detected an anomaly and had altered course to investigate, when they reached the co-ordinate the anomaly had closed and there was only the Voyager, drifting in space. The fact he had observed full protocol and escorted the Voyager and crew back to London promptly with little or no confrontation quickly stopped the questions of, why the Victory had been near that sector. The Briori were going to present a problem now, but every problem has a solution.

Leaving his seat he crossed to the main window. Looking out at the pontoon he thought of the great men in history, Nelson, William, Stephenson, Judas.

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**Author's Notes:**

**Well, I hope this chapter has been enjoyable to read, I know, it's still getting going and there seem to be so many questions but they will all be answered in due course. I did not wish to write a three chapter long waste of time where nothing really happened and only centred around a normal day on-board, I also did not wish to write a string of Mary Sue chapters so, unfortunately I have gone down the road of BIG STORY, and so I need to take a long time with the exposition before we get to the real action but it's coming. Should be starting soon. I promise.**

**Let me know what you think? Any ideas as to what's going on? I'd love to hear them. R&R please.**


	8. First Contact

**Disclaimer: **Violence in later chapters

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**Chapter 8: First Contact**

Transporting onto the planet's surface Janeway and Tuvok had split from the main group and headed for the Governors Mansion. They had been directed to it by Commander Tanner before they left for the planet. She hadn't been sure what to expect but now, walking up The Mall, it was evident that this was a highly advanced and enlightened civilization. Surrounded by both ancient and modern architecture, she could almost envision the years through which the city stood.

The Governors Mansion was a large imposing edifice, a tall spire reaching into the sky from the centre and two great curved wings; she guessed that it would look much like a curved E from above. The sandstone walls shone bright in the early morning sun, great crystal windows scattered light across the lush green lawns. Walking through the wrought iron gates, monogrammed with the initials EM, she realised that the grass shouldn't be the lush dark green it was. This planet was just on the inner boarder of the 'ecozone', the grass should be light green and dry, if there should be any at all.

"Captain, I believe they have planetary climate control."

"Tuvok?"

"This planet is two miles closer to their sun than Vulcan is to it's and yet they have a mild atmosphere and air borne moisture."

Janeway glanced at the clouds drifting behind the mansion. Tuvok was right; there were practically no clouds on Vulcan and very little water. This planet had vast amounts of both and it seemed not much warmer than Ohio in spring. Coming to the great wooden doors the two guards stepped forward.

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The Doctor was amazed at the ornate craftsmanship; the stone had been carved with delicate precision. He could see the minute differences in stroke and depth that told him it had all been created by hand. The great library had been at the top of his list of places to visit since he had been offered the chance for shore leave. Now, walking down the Stravos gallery his optical sensors took in the grand pictures and stone tablets embossed with inscriptions. Standing at an old parchment, the writing in a form his universal translator could not decipher. He stood and admired its decorative aspect instead.

She had been watching him since he walked in, she had never seen anyone like him before, and his suit seemed so perfectly fitted as if it were part of him and his manner was amusing. He seemed lost in the great building. Watching him standing in front of the Hec'ran Prophecy she decided to walk over. Her long legs swiftly covered the distance from the information desk to the display.

"It is the third of the Elamik Prophecy's. It was found in the cellars of the Recura Monastery over five hundred years ago."

The Doctor turned to see whom the sweet voice belonged to. Her long pink hair ran down her back and the ridges ran from her ears down the sides of her neck, tapering inward toward her spine. He felt suddenly glad he had left Harry and Alaya in the Bazaar.

"And what does it mean?"

Giving a smile she nodded toward the plaque in front of the display. "No one is sure what it says but over the years theologians have submitted many different possibilities." Tapping the plaque a holographic display took form, roughly twenty centimeters across by thirty centimeters long. "The prophecy is believed to refer to the end of days when the daemons and angels will fight for this planet that we now call London."

"You now call London? There was no mention in the data guide that this had been inhabited before it was terraformed by the Britain's?"

"It was once called Lóch'harre." She seemed to be thinking of a time long gone. "The race that lived here was advanced by even the Alliance standards."

"What happened?" The Doctor was transfixed.

"No one is exactly sure, we know from crust samples and sensor readings that the planet was once forty thousands miles father away from the sun but how or why it moved no one knows."

The Doctor could see the look of loss in her eyes; could she be a descendant of the race that once inhabited this world?

"The Elamik Prophecy's are all that remains of that lost world. The most accepted theory of this particular prophecy is that, when something, we don't know what exactly, flies through the Gods mouth asteroid belt it will impact the sun and start a chain reaction sending our sun supernova. Cansari..." She pointed to the word in the third line. "...Is the fourth planet in our system, which is covered in a thick gaseous atmosphere. However, there is a celestial body underneath, the impact inflicted on the sun will bombard Cansari's atmosphere with radiation, which will cause the gaseous atmosphere to ignite."

"A burning planet?"

"Not exactly, Cansari is large enough to become a second sun, which would be smaller than the existing one. Although, it would be big enough to cause a disastrous shift in the gravitational forces, which will inevitably pull the two suns together."

The Doctor looked on as the holographic image played out the scenario. "What about the last line... 'And the armies of Valcúr shall rise from the deep'?"

She waved her hand through the simulation and it changed to a representation of London. After closing in on the planet the image moved into the ocean and down to a mountain range, which must have been at least twenty leagues down. "That is a reference to the planet becoming volcanically active once more. The volcanic reaction will boil the oceans and spew acidic fumes into the atmosphere." Concluding the holographic scenario, she turned to the Doctor.

For the first time he looked deep into her silver eyes, they were as reflective mirrors. Her luscious pink hair shimmered as it caught the sun as she turned to walk away.

"So," The Doctor caught her attention quickly before she walked too far away. "Could you suggest any interesting sights?"

She turned back and smiled.

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The dark shape drifted silently across the vast emptiness of space, its tentacles serpentine movement seemed to be its only form of propulsion. The metallic black skin seemed sleek in the dim light from the distant stars. It had feasted on the planet, it's huger had subsided for a short time but now, drifting through space it was beginning to yearn for sustenance once more. The distant red star was its closest possible food source. It could feel the strength growing; its master had awoken...

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Harry followed Alaya through the narrow alleyway, his arms engulfed with all manner of bric-a-brac from hand woven rugs to ornate glass and gold trinkets. As they neared the rendezvous point in the square, Harry glanced down the street and noticed the Captain and Tuvok sprinting towards them with Commander Tanner following hastily behind.

"We've got to get back to the ship." Janeway stood in the centre with the others around her ready to be transported. Tanner looked at them incredulously. Tapping her communicator. "Janeway to Chakotay."

After a few seconds the channel re-opened. "Go ahead captain."

"Commander, we have to return to the ship immediately, prepare for transport. Janeway to Paris, seven to beam up."

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Walking onto the bridge Chakotay walked round and took his seat next to the captain's chair. "What is it Captain?" Commander Tanner sat on the command bench next to the captain, he still seemed astounded by the teleportation to the ship's bridge.

Janeway walked down to the command platform. "We've been asked if we will assist in a minor defense mission." She said, turning to look at the view screen." Lieutenant, set course. Two five seven, mark, one eight three. Warp four."

Paris tapped in the co-ordinates on the helm. "Two five seven, mark, one eight three. Warp four."

Janeway took her seat, leaned closer to Chakotay and kept her voice low. "Commander Tanner has been ordered to come with us."

"What? So we don't slip away during while enroot?" Chakotay sat back in his chair and looked out at the Victory dropping into hyper-space.

Sitting back Janeway glanced at Tanner. "Tom, engage."

Over in the docking platform, Marshall Blackburn observed, from his office in awe, as the Voyager adjusted its heading and went to warp.

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Dropping out of warp the Voyager came alongside the Victory, as it stationed itself between the large brown and crimson planet and the large black shape that moved gradually through space. The creature was turning as it entered the system; its long tentacles were now facing the planet. Slowly the Victory and the Voyager moved towards the gigantic squid like object now pulsing green.

On the bridge of the Voyager Janeway was communicating with the Victory. Tanner still sat on the bench and Chakotay reading the readiness reports on chairs panel.

"We'll follow you in Captain."

The imposing image of Captain Smithe was larger than life on the view screen as he issued orders across his bridge. "Follow our lead Captain; we can't get any readings from this thing. The Cromwell will be joining us in three minutes, so we are to keep from engaging for as long as we can."

"As you wish." Turning her head towards Paris she glanced at the reflection of Tanner in the monitor. "Back us off Lieutenant, keep us at five thousand meters."

"Aye captain." Tom made the adjustments and the Voyager dropped back.

"Deploy the fighters." Smithe glimpsed back to Janeway. "Victory out."

The screen went to the exterior view of the voyager. Watching as a thousand fighters swarmed from the lower bays of the Victory, Paris brought the Voyager to a steady heading. The fighters broke off into five flying 'V' formations around the Victory. The squadron on the port side broke formation and headed towards the large black object.

"Captain, the first contingent of fighters has commenced its attack run. Thirty seconds to target."

"Charge phasers and bring forward torpedo launcher, on-line." Janeway took her seat and waited anxiously, she always felt concerned at the start of a battle.

"Ten seconds to target." Tuvok was keeping the fighters on screen. "Five seconds."

"The Victory is sending us their live feed." Harry adjusted for transmission variables.

"On screen." Janeway turned to the view screen as the fighters engaged the target.

The fighters opened fire on the black squid like object.

"Their weapons are having no effect captain." Tuvok was preparing to divert power from secondary systems to the shields. "Captain all stations report ready."

"This is a ship wide announcement. All hands to battle stations, red alert!"

As the fighters ceased their attack to come round again, the space around the large black object came alive with hyper-space fissures. Thousand of glistening black jagged spear heads flowed from hyper-space and stared firing upon the fighters.

Tuvok looked up from his station to watch as several fighters were shredded by the attacking phasers, discharged from the spear head ships. "Captain, even with our superior fire power, they out number us three hundred to one."

"Hail the Victory."

Harry opened the communications channel as squadron of spear heads bombarded the Voyager.

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**Author's Notes:**

**A little longer than normal but now, at least, it's started. Hope you enjoyed it.**

**By the way... Anyone who gets the reference to 'the mall' gets a gold star :)**

**R&R please, I would love to know how you think this should go.**


	9. Shield

**Disclaimer: Violence in later chapters.**

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**Chapter 9:  
Shield**

The science panel exploded.

"Shields down to fifty percent." Tuvok held onto the station as the ship rocked with another volley from the attacking spearhead ships. "Their weapons are disseminating beams Captain, they can penetrate the shields."

"Casualty reports coming in from across the ship." Harry said.

The noise on the bridge was unbelievable. Tom had taken evasive action almost immediately but the pursuing ships were far more manoeuvrable than the Voyager was and did not stop firing. Janeway was holding onto her seat as Tom threw the Voyager in hairpin bends and roller coaster motions.

"Captain," Tuvok was acquiring target lock on the lead ship. "Shields down to twenty four percent. We can't take many more direct hits."

The master situation display blinked and a power conduit above it exploded shower sparks and fumes over Alaya.

"Damage to decks three through ten."

"Assign repair teams." Chakotay was watching Tanner as he looked round the bridge.

"Hull breach on deck twelve." Kim messaged the repair teams. "Minor damage to life support system. Structural integrity field holding."

"Tom!"

"I'm doing my best Captain." Tom said as he programmed in a route that would take them within five meters of the Victory.

"Captain?" Tanner was standing holding the rail behind their heads. "Captain, I have an idea but I'll need access to your shield controls."

Janeway eyed him with suspicion, what did he have planned? The engineering panel burst in a shower of sparks. "You can access the shields from there." She pointed at the control panel behind her head on the rail.

Tanner jumped round the stairs and, holding onto the rail, made his way to the panel.

"Shields at ten percent." Tuvok was firing a wide beam from the dorsal phaser array.

The spear head ships were closing as the passed the Victory, the relief was almost audible as they passed without incident, three-pursuit ship impacted on the Victory's shields. The screen showed a group of spearheads directly in the path of Voyager, one fired.

"Shields Down!"

The screen exploded inwards, showing the bridge with sparks and glass. Paris ducked below the conn as Janeway and Chakotay held their arms up to their faces.

"Activate your shield grid!" Tanner was holding onto the control panel.

The light around the bridge dimmed, panels that weren't being accessed went black. Paris looked down to see the warp power output, increase by ninety percent.

"What have you done?" Janeway turned to look at Tanner.

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Outside, the Voyager's shields came back on-line, but they were a constantly visible and glowing yellow, as charged plasma was fed into them. Two spearhead ships were on the verge of the shields radius as they came up, the shield sliced through the ships and sent twisted metal cascading into space. Another spearhead couldn't manoeuvre fast enough and impacted on the shields.

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"Shield grip overloading."

"I'm not surprised." Tanner was regulating the plasma flow. "You're emitters are not designed for this kind of power being pumped through them."

"What happens when they fail?" Janeway was on her feet, there must be something she could do.

"They fail!" Tanner didn't really have much of answer to this, it was rather self-explanatory.

"Our shield grid will be burnt out and useless if we do not terminate the plasma flow in three minutes." Tuvok was keeping his eyes on the flow regulators and the targeting scanners. If the shields failed, they would be defenceless.

"Captain, the Victory is coming about." Kim had been watching the events outside on a small monitor at operations. "There's a build up of energy on the Victory's power core."

"Must be preparing to fire their main guns." Tanner had activated the forward visual array and was now piping it through to all non-essential monitors that were still active. "They're turning toward that squid, thing."

"Two minute to shield collapse." The slow elegant motion of the Victory seemed to have an almost flawless logic to it.

The bridge was still with bathed breath. Any minute the Victory would fire and, with any luck, destroy the gigantic, black shimmering squid. All eyes were on the monitors as the Victory completed its turn and was now facing the object moving closer.

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The Victory crew were ready, they had re-routed power to the capacitors and they were about to fire. The bridge had turned a dim shade of red ad the main lights cut out.

"Two seconds to optimal firing range." Said Wells.

They could see the great creature looming upon them in their screens. The only clue to its position was the lack of stars in one spot of space in front of them.

Lieutenant Riley was at tactical. Noticing a change in subspace he quickly checked the readings. "Hyper-space fissures opening!"

Their screens changed to views all around them. Space was filled with multiple fissures. Most of them a hazy shade of blue but the occasional one was a vivid green.

"Optimal firing range. Firing main guns." Riley tapped the large red icon.

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The shimmering squid drifted closer to the Victory. The thousands of spearheads swarmed it and wave after wave attacked the Victory and Voyager. Space had come alive; fissures surrounded the three parties locked in battle. Two streams of blue light fired from the Victory's weapons array situated just above the central line of the ship. A large blue panel that stretch from one side to the other and was about a fifth the total height of the ship. The light impacted on the Squid. The explosion was enormous, the spars of light and plasma were thrown from the skin of the beast but no visible damage remained.

Out of the fissures they came thick and fast, thousands of them. And they opened fire.

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**Author's Notes:**

**Dum Dum Dum...**

**There's a nice short chapter for you, full of action.**

**R&R please people.**


	10. Charge of the Light Brigade

**Disclaimer: Violence in later chapters.**

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**Chapter 10:Charge of The Light Brigade**

The multiple firing arches' cross in space, plasma bursting across space. Spearhead ships exploding into balls of flame and thousands of tiny shards. Fighters shredded by spearhead weapons as they attacked.

Alliance, silver sail, ships of all sizes filled space. Main guns ripped through the larger spearheads as secondary weapons took out the smaller, attack craft. Thousands of fighters swarmed, dancing like starlings, through the weapons volleys. A group of ten coordinating an attack on a spearhead. The multiple, concentration of phasers penetrating the shielding and ripping into the hull.

Three Briori ships had joined the battle. Their weapons seemed to burst, like ripples in a pond, taking out several ships at a time. Debris floated in space, shards of ships hull, bodies bounced into the shields and then were ripped apart by stray weapons fire. Fighters swarmed the large cruisers and battle ships as they tried to find holes the defences. Explosions ripped through space and multicoloured bursts of flame lit up the area like a fireworks display.

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On the bridge of the Voyager, Captain Janeway was trying to keep an eye on the monitor in her armrest wile Paris did an admirable job of staying within the Victories shields.

"What is going on out there?" Tanner was watching the battle from the station behind the captain. "The Briori are ignoring our ships, why are they firing on these spear heads?"

"It is logical to assume that they are older enemies to the Briori than you are." Tuvok was still trying to get the shields back on-line and charge the phaser array, but so far, he had not had any luck.

"Torres to the Bridge."

"Go ahead B'Ellana." Janeway raised her eyebrow at Chakotay.

"I think we can use the plasma to re-enforce the shields, it'll take a bit of work but we can do it." The channel went quite wile B'Elanna waited for a reply.

Janeway and Chakotay were both looking at Paris who looked as confused about his wife being in engineering as they were. "How long will it take?"

"We've already made a start Captain; it should be complete in five minutes."

"Very good, B'Elanna, when you've finished I would like you to return to your quarters."

"Captain..." B'Elanna began to protest. "I am needed here and..."

"Return to your quarters Lieutenant, That's an order."

"Aye Captain." The communications cut off as a nearby ship exploded sending debris crashing against the Victories shield.

"So much for taking it easy." Paris returned to keeping his distance from the Victory as it fired.

Chakotay glanced round at Janeway and then to Paris. "She's never been one for sitting back and doing nothing."

"Shields are up, phasers on-line but the torpedoes are still locked, Captain."

"Thank you Commander, Tom, take us out."

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The Voyager moved out of the Victories shield and opened fire on four spearhead ships. The phasers ripped through their hulls, the blasts engulfed the Voyager as it headed towards a large group of black Dart fighters that had targeted a Briori ship. Firing upon two of the Darts the phaser beams sliced through the first Dart fighter as a toreador exploded upon impact, obliterating the second. Cutting beams emanated from the ends of the Briori pylons, four from each. These thin lines criss-crossed and moved independently as if there had a life of their own, slicing through ships in their dozens.

Wave after wave of Darts descended on the Voyager, their plasma torpedoes slamming into the shields, five or ten at a time. Cutting beams, quantum torpedoes, plasma waves ripped through space as the battle continued. Three large Alliance ships had converged on the shimmering squid shaped object and were hurling singularity torpedoes, plasma torpedoes at it. They were also firing their main plasma guns and phaser beams but noting seemed to be having much, if any, effect on the creature.

Suddenly the Alliance ships broke off, moving away swiftly. Still hurling volleys at the escort ships and the immense squid, they pulled back to a distance as a fissure split space and the squid slipped into it followed by the Spearheads and Darts. The Alliance ships moved into a diamond formation and hung in space, Voyager made its way to the Victory as the Briori ships held their position.

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On the bridge of the Voyager, sparks showering from burst conduits and panel glass littering the floor. Paris was still at the conn and trying to make best seed to the Alliance lines wile Tuvok attempted to coax more reserve power into the shields.

"What's our status?"

"We have wounded on all decks. Hull breaches on desks three, seven and fourteen. Power cuts on decks four, seven and loss of artificial gravity on desks three through ten."

"Mr Kim, get repair teams to start with the gravity plates and the power grid. Tom..." Janeway stood up and sprinkles of glass fell to the floor from her clothes.

"Captain Janeway," Tanner was still at the operations console. "The Briori have opened a channel."

"Let's hear it."

The voices that came across the communications sounded like a thick liquid more than speech. "Space had ripped, one last time, the rock has chipped, and now the crime. They swarm from Mazakárr has taken flight, spreading fear into the night. This battle may be lost, yet we must fight, at all cost." The channel closed.

"What was all that about?" Paris had turned to look at Janeway and Chakotay.

"Mr Tanner, do the Briori normally talk in riddles?" Chakotay had turned to look at the commander. He was sure that this security officer must know more than he was letting on.

"I have no idea, the last time we had any dialogue with the Briori was over a hundred years ago, that's when the war started." He was as in the dark as the others, he had never even heard a Briori speak, it had been almost amazing to hear that fluid sound over the communication system.

"You've been at war for a hundred years? They obviously have far greater power; I do not see why they have not destroyed you?"

Janeway looked at Tuvok, she knew what he meant but there were much better ways of saying it. She turned to Tanner. "Mr Tanner..."

"Captain," Kim cut her off. He sounded worried. "I'm reading an energy build up in the Briori ships. They're preparing to fire."

"This is how it started."

Everyone looked towards Tanner, the Briori fired for no reason. Janeway couldn't understand they had just fought along side them. The Briori ships had powered up so the Alliance had opened fire. "Mr Tanner..."

"The Alliance ships are powering up main guns." Again, Kim had cut the captain off, this was becoming a regular occurrence and she wasn't too keen on it.

"Hail the Alliance fleet."

"Subspace anomalies forming." Every one looked toward their monitors. "Briori ships are entering the anomalies?" Kim couldn't understand it, they were preparing to fire, he was sure of it.

"Mr Kim, Hail the Victory."

"No reply." Kim tried again.

"Captain, the Victory is bringing its main guns on-line."

Janeway turned to Tuvok, she couldn't believe she was hear it, the Victory was about to fire on them and, with their shields so low, they had no defence.

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**Author's Notes:**

**I would like to thank; Aislinn Carter& Orbthesela for their continuing reviews so far, I hope you stay with me and I hope more of you who are reading let me know what you think.**

**Can I also thank Orbthesela for being my Beta throughout this story so far, I hope you stay by my side. I recommend this wonderful lady to anyone looking for a great Beta, but, be warned, she is brutally honest, if you can't take crit don't ask for it.**


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